Pov.3 - Aline Valentini
Her fists, mouth, and legs were tied up. Still, she wanted to scream, wanted to speak to him. To say they weren't monsters, they were her friends. With every word he said, every confirmation, and the fact he was standing in front of Oliver's own father, her hopes faded away.
Aline felt David waking up beside her, but for some reason, he wasn't afraid. He looked at Oliver with determination. As if he knew Oliver wouldn't fail, absolute trust.
"Where does that come from? How can he be so sure Oliver won't be deceived?" Her mind was scared, and even though she had placed her faith that day in the boy who had been the only one to find a solution during the attack on the clearing, Aline still couldn't see how he wouldn't be fooled.
Her thoughts were completely shattered when a blade pierced the chest of the man claiming to be Oliver's father. The following words made her world collapse...
"He realized..."
At that moment, the world changed. The tree canopies began to shake and shadows swallowed them again. Aline saw Oliver's father's hand turn into a wooden spear and strike toward Oliver's skull.
But Oliver moved perfectly, stepping back and dodging. It was like a dance; his steps followed the perfect path to avoid his father. More spears began to form, this time coming from the surrounding trees. Yet Oliver was relentless. Using the bloodied, cracked fang, he blocked every attack around him and even started a counterattack.
Clack!
"What was that?"
Her eyes followed the sound of something breaking and saw David's hand go limp. The crazy doctor had broken his own hand to free himself and was starting to untie his bonds.
"How much determination did it take to cause that kind of damage to yourself... All this for Oliver?"
Boom!
An explosion shook the air, and she saw the two men thrown, one to each side of the clearing. Oliver's gaze was wild; she had never seen this side of him. His blade moved toward every vital point of his own father's body, and fury was unleashed as time passed.
"He's different... Not just his body... His soul isn't the same."
Slowly, a scene of destruction formed. Pieces of wood everywhere, the ground churned up and more wreckage. The throne that stood right in front of them was obliterated by one of those spears, and blood flowed everywhere.
Still, right there standing. In the center of the clearing was him. Oliver, blood dripping all over, signs of piercing and bruises, but his aura hadn't diminished one bit.
Light fell on his muscles, his hair shone light brown. His glowing eyes were like honey, and his face that of a beast, a furious beast. Every part of him showed pure savagery but also power. Never in her life would Aline have thought that chubby, cute guy would become this. She almost thanked the angel... until she remembered his demonic face.
The confrontation continued, and more blood was spilled. At one point, she saw the fang Lucas had made crack, but for some reason, it didn't break. With every blow, the ivory fang showed more fury. It was as if it carried all of Oliver's hatred and refused to surrender.
BOOM!!!
Oliver's father was thrown meters backward, and at that moment, his face was pure astonishment.
"THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE, YOU ARE JUST A MERE MORTAL! I AM A RANK – 1 BEING!!"
Oliver's face finally calmed, but his fury did not. At some point, Aline almost saw flames conjured around him. As if a hell was about to be unleashed. At that exact moment, her mind betrayed her, and now she could clearly see a great fire lion in his place.
"Beautiful, but terrifying. This power... it's something masterful."
His blade roared through the air and his body was launched at terrifying speed straight toward the wooden spears. Everything around caught fire, his blade was about to reach his father's throat, when a smile appeared on the old man's face.
One of the trees began to move, forming a huge wooden spear, the size of a car. The air distorted and the fire lion vanished. All Aline saw was Oliver being thrown many meters onto the ground, his left arm completely twisted. Blood gushed like a river.
"No!!"
"That was exciting, but my boss needs this to be your end. You will be my guarantee to pass straight to Rank – 2, without me worrying about anything. Feel honored, mortal, to become my fertilizer!" Each word was spoken as if old branches were twisting.
A spear formed in the creature's hand and was heading straight for Oliver's fallen chest. When Aline felt something prick her throat, her vision blurred, and when she looked to the side, she saw light brown hair and malicious eyes staring at her from the shadows.
"Why?... Why do this? Luísa..." Her world began to crumble; clearly, some poison was in that bolt that was fired, and again she felt her world fade away. She couldn't do anything, not even warn Oliver of the Angel's plans, and she failed again.
However, before falling, she saw David a few meters away, freeing himself and starting to run toward the wounded lion. His eyes shone and a face of pure determination appeared on the doctor.
"I don't know why this devotion, I don't care about your reasons David, but please. Save Oliver... He's our only hope to get out of here alive and... Don't fail like I did. I'm counting on you!"
This time, her world turned to darkness, and all she could do was pray that when she woke up, this hell would be over.